E-Newsletter February 2021

by | Feb 7, 2021 | Newsletters

Here are a few announcements with ways to show your love and support, learn more, and engage with your community. You’re an important part of this network of support, and we’re sending you lots of love for Valentine’s Day!

Thanks for the love you are, and the love you share,


Scott Blades
Executive Director

 

Quick Links to This Month’s Articles

Your Amazon Purchases Can Support TIHAN’s Programs!

 

Through Amazon and AmazonSmile, you can designate TIHAN to receive a portion of each purchase!  You can also order our wish list items and have them shipped safely and directly to the TIHAN office.  Use this link to connect your Amazon account to the charity of your choice:  smile.amazon.com/ch/86-0819574.  Thank you!

And here’s the link to see the Amazon items we need: 

 

Seeking Donations of Facial Tissue (Kleenex) for our CarePackages

 

One of the most appreciated items that we try to include in our monthly CarePackages for CarePartners living with HIV is Kleenex, or facial tissue. It is a huge benefit to people dealing with a variety of health issues, and is one of the items that is too often cut from a household budget when finances are tight.  You have been so generous in the past when it comes to helping with supplies for our CarePartners, and we’re hoping that this month you may be willing to help us by donating boxes of Kleenex.

It’s contact-free—please bring donations to the TIHAN office and call us when you are putting them on the donation table outside our front door, Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm. Thank you!

 

A Car Parade to Say Thank You and Farewell to Two of Our Best: Linda and Ellie – Saturday, February 20

 

Please join us in saying a safe goodbye to two key longtime volunteers and supporters, each of whom have received TIHAN’s highest honor, the Myron Morris Excellence in Caring Award.  They are each moving away to be closer to their families, and we will miss them tremendously.

Since many of you know them both, we have scheduled the car parades on the same day, back to back, with enough time to travel from one location to the other:

Saturday, February 20, 9:30am-10:00am – parking lot of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church – 1431 W Magee, corner of Magee and La Canada Drive.  Please enter the St. Mark’s parking lot off La Canada (not Magee) – look for balloons.

Linda Girard – Linda is one of the founders of TIHAN, and a 26-year volunteer.  She’s served on our board, served on many CareTeams, helps with Poz Café, serves as liaison between TIHAN and her faith community St. Mark’s, has helped plan Treasures for TIHAN and Swinging@AIDS, makes weekly phone calls to our CarePartners living with HIV, and so much more.  She’s probably devoted more hours to TIHAN and supported more CarePartners than any volunteer in our history.  At the beginning of March, Linda is moving to New Jersey to be near her sister and brother-in-law. 

Saturday, February 20, 10:30am-11:00am – parking lot of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church – 1200 N Campbell, east side of Campbell, two blocks north of Speedway.  Enter the church parking lot off Mabel Street – look for the balloons

Ellie Johnson – Miss Ellie has volunteered with TIHAN in many areas, including helping with Poz Café, planning our Treasures for TIHAN benefits, organizing fundraising events for TIHAN at her church, serving as the liaison between TIHAN and her church Our Saviour’s, helping with holiday parties for our CarePartners and their kids, and assisting with decorating for every event we’ve had!  At the end of February, Ellie is moving to Phoenix to be with her son.

Let’s make it fun and celebrate these two amazing people on Saturday morning, Feb 20th!  Make some noise, bring a sign or write something on your car window, tie a balloon, whatever will be festive—decorate your car with a message of love if you’d like.  Most importantly, please stop by briefly (and safely) to wish them well and show some TIHAN love and appreciation as they relocate.

We’re asking everyone to stay in their car, and to wear a mask, the entire time (we will have extras there in case you forget).  There will be someone there to direct you and line up the cars to drive by our guests of honor, and you can roll down your window and briefly say hello and thank you from your care.  We’ll have a basket for you to place a greeting card in, if you wish.

Please share this with anyone who might want to come.  It’s open to everyone!

 

Anthony: 22 Years of Having HIV, But 10 Years of Being Positive

 

Anthony isn’t one for self-pity.  “I’ve always felt I put myself in the situation that led me to get HIV. I was upset at myself at first, but that didn’t last too long. I couldn’t blame nobody but myself, running the streets and selling dope.”

Anthony grew up in a small town in West Virginia, and in his early teens, he started hanging out with the wrong crowd, who introduced him to drugs.  He’s been in and out of jail since he was 14.  He remembers getting out of the state penitentiary in early 1998, and spent that summer “getting wild.”  22 years ago this month, it happened.  “The lady I was involved with noticed the sheets were wet when we woke up, he recalls.  “I was sweating all night.”  He went to the health department, and they ran a number of tests, then notified Anthony that his HIV test came back positive. 

“I just wanted to medicate, get high, and forget about it,” he shares.  “But after a week or two, I realized there was nothing I could do to change it.  I just had to figure out what to do about it.” 

Anthony started on HIV medications, but soon ended up arrested again for drugs, and was sent prison for two years.  Upon release, he connected with Caritas, an HIV program that offered housing for him.  In return, he spoke in schools and churches about the dangers of drug use.

Soon, Anthony’s on-again, off-again struggle with drugs took another turn, and he eventually returned to prison.  This time, incarceration changed him substantially.  He became a Muslim, and started spending time with other Muslims who met for prayer and discussion, giving him insight into his life.  “I stopped doing drugs in prison,” he says.  “I used the time to reflect on my years of drugs.  I weighed my options and realized my way wasn’t working, and it was time to change. I had been in and out of jail since I was 14.  You get to a certain point, a certain age maybe, you realize that ain’t the way.  Cocaine has done nothing for me but sent me to jail.  It cost me my wife, my marriage.  It gave me HIV.  Cocaine gave me a lot of s***, and it sure has taken a lot from me.  I wish I would never have been introduced to drugs.  That ain’t the answer – not in a bottle or a bag of dope.  It’s my own fault, though, and I can’t change my past.”

When he was released from the federal corrections institution in 2011, Anthony moved to Tucson where his father and some other family members live.  “This 10 years is the longest I have ever been free,” he proudly relates.

Anthony spends his time mostly at home, visiting his dad, and with a small circle of friends.  “Other than my family here, and going to prayers at the mosque (which I can’t do now due to COVID), the only people I deal with is people I have met through SAAF and TIHAN, only a handful of positive people.”

Anthony had some issues years ago with side effects from the early HIV drugs (including kidney stones, memory declines, and vivid dreams), but has no side effects from his current medication regime.  His HIV is now undetectable, meaning the medications have suppressed the amount of HIV in his body (viral load) to a very, very low level.  This means he cannot transmit HIV to anyone, and his immune system can stay strong.  He’s very happy with his HIV doctor (Dr. Sudha at El Rio’s HIV clinic).  And Anthony’s especially pleased about his two children, both of whom live back east.  “My son is an Iraq veteran, and my daughter owns a daycare center,” he says.  “My ex-wife did a great job of raising them–I have nothing but respect for her.  And all of my family members are all proud of me for all these years of being clean and free.  They’re very encouraging to me.” 

During this COVID-19 pandemic, Anthony is staying in as much as possible.  “I’ve lost three family members to COVID,” he says.  “I wish everyone would just wear a mask.  People are out thinking it’s a joke and passing the virus around.  It’s not a joke. It’s for real.”  Will he take the COVID vaccine when it becomes available?  He answers quickly:  “Of course! I would take it today.”

To deal with the isolation right now, Anthony is spending his time reading, hanging out with his dad, and watching TV—”Jeopardy, movies, anything I can learn from.”

Anthony first heard about TIHAN in 2012, from a friend he met at SAAF.  “He explained everything to me, how to get hooked up with Poz Café, various support groups at SAAF, how to get connected to everything.

“TIHAN,” Anthony shares, “has been great.  They offer a lot of support, help with food and bills.  And the toilet paper and soap and stuff [in the CarePackages] comes in very handy.  Getting us out of the house, playing bingo, sitting around and fellowshipping.  That’s really important.  For some people, that’s all they got.  There was already too much isolation.  If they don’t go to Poz Café, they don’t see anybody.  I’d like to see this pandemic get taken care of so we can get back to fellowship.”

Anthony has kind words not only for what TIHAN provides, but also who provides it.  “The volunteers and staff–that’s what makes everything work.  They’re the ones who make the wheels turn.  Without them, there would be no TIHAN.  I’m happy to see them at Poz Café.  Everyone I have met has been very nice.  They don’t have to be there—they could be home with their families, but they’re here with us.  I’d like to see more people be supportive.  The Koran teaches that we all are one.”

 

Would You Like to Be Involved (SAFELY!) and Brighten Someone’s Day?

 

Would you like to get involved and be part of making a difference in someone’s live, and in our community, safely?  The needs for volunteers in some area are high, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic.  Sign up for an online Volunteer Orientation.  We’re recruiting volunteers for a variety of important roles:

 

 

  • Link Specialist volunteer (especially if you speak Spanish)
  • Operations Assistant (front desk receptionist)
  • Marketing Committee volunteer
  • Program Committee volunteer (program management and evaluation)
  • CarePartner Program Support volunteer
  • Admin Support volunteer (running errands)
  • Data Entry Team members
  • Social Media volunteer
  • Finance Committee volunteer (nonprofit accounting)

You can also find the complete list of our current volunteer openings by going to www.TIHAN.org, clicking on “Volunteer,” then on “Volunteer Opportunities.” One of these roles might be just right for you! You can also call or email us at 520-299-6647 or VolunteerCoordinator@tihan.org

 

Volunteer Spotlight: Ted – More About the Person Behind the Smile!

 

Living in Washington DC at the height of the AIDS crisis, Ted had lost many friends to the disease.  He promised himself that he would get involved and volunteer with an AIDS service organization after he retired. A few months after he retired in 2015, he saw the announcement in his church bulletin that TIHAN was recruiting volunteers.  He wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted to do, but it soon became clear.  Three months after retirement, Ted was sitting in TIHAN’s volunteer training session, and TIHAN staff member Mark Rosenbaum heard about Ted’s background, and knew immediately that Ted could make a substantial difference.

Ted had retired from a career in systems administration, and Mark was overseeing TIHAN’s new database project, a major undertaking.  It was a match made in heaven, and Ted was on his way to becoming an essential part of TIHAN.  Not only did Ted help TIHAN set up a new system and migrate our data, he also became a key volunteer helping with data entry and with our Poz Café lunch and social program for people living with HIV.  And last year, Ted joined TIHAN’s Finance Committee.

“What brought me to TIHAN was wanting to help support people with HIV,” Ted shares. “I knew things had gotten better with medical advancements since the 1980s, but I knew it was still a major issue.  I could easily have been someone who contracted HIV, and somehow I didn’t.  So I feel a responsibility to give back, and support others, in memory of my friends.”

Ted enjoys the intellectual challenges of being TIHAN’s volunteer system administrator for our database, entering data for us, and helping advise our Board about financial matters.  And the social and emotional fulfillment of helping with our Poz Café program is very rewarding.  Pre-COVID, Ted’s role with the lunch program was to help manage the volunteers setting up the dining room, serving line, and table bussing.  Now that Poz Café has been modified to keep people safe during the pandemic, Ted’s helping pack up the to-go meals and provide them to CarePartners living with HIV through our drive-up meal distribution.  “It’s always great to see the smiles and hear the expressions of thanks from our CarePartners when handing out the to-go meals and the CarePackages,” he shares.  “I always leave the event with a smile on my face and a warm heart.”

Ted and his life partner Glenn are part of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, located near Speedway and Campbell.  They moved to Tucson in 2006 when Glenn was offered a position as professor of chemical engineering at the University of Arizona.  They’ve been together for 20 years, and love Tucson.  “I was born in Baltimore, then moved to Littleton, Colorado where I grew up.  I went to DC to attend Georgetown University, and spent most of my life in DC.  We love the west, and had visited Tucson several times, so when Glenn was offered the position here, and since I could work remotely, we were happy to relocate here.”

Glenn retired from the UA as Associate Dean of the College of Engineering, and is now attending a Lutheran seminary.  Both he and Ted are gardeners, love working outside, and enjoy hiking. In addition, Ted has another hobby:  creating glass fusion art, which he donates for TIHAN’s benefit auction, Treasures for TIHAN.

“What keeps me here at TIHAN,” Ted says, “are the staff, the CarePartners, and the other volunteers.  I have had such a positive experience with all three groups.  Everyone here is always so pleasant and thankful, with a great camaraderie and a common desire to help out.  Volunteering here is just very satisfying.”

 

Thank you, Maggie

 

After four years of serving as our Operations Manager, Maggie McCann will be leaving us for new adventures. We are grateful for her service to the TIHAN community, especially during this past year with all of its challenges.

Thank you, Maggie, for keeping our office running and onboarding new volunteers. We appreciate your contributions–you will be missed!

TIHAN is now recruiting a full-time Operations Manager. More details about the position and minimum qualifications are available at https://tihan.org/about-tihan/#jobopenings. Qualified applicants should download the employment application, and submit the completed application along with a cover letter and resume to scott@tihan.org.

Please share with your networks!

 

Black History Month

 

Every February, the achievements and history of African Americans are celebrated as part of Black History Month.  Founded in 1915 as Negro History Week, the commemoration was designed to recognize the contributions of African Americans to US history, and it took place during the second week of February (which includes the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.  In 1976, President Ford proclaimed the month of February as Black History Month to “honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

We encourage everyone within TIHAN to spend time in February to learn and reflect.  To do so, here are a few great resources, each with its own focus.  Click on the topics that are of interest to you:

 

 

How to Shop at Fry’s and Have a Percentage Go to TIHAN

 

Friends, if you shop at Fry’s, TIHAN has an account you can link your VIP Rewards card to.  You get a discount on some prices, and TIHAN gets a percent too.   Here’s how you can make sure your Fry’s purchases support TIHAN’s programs and services!

 

  1. Go to www.FrysFood.com
  2. Click on “Sign In” and either enter your ID and password, or click to establish a new account.
  3. If you already have a Fry’s VIP account (which you enter each time you shop), enter that number, or if needed, set that up and a number will be assigned to you.
  4. Go to the site’s Community Rewards program, and choose Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network (TIHAN) as your chosen charity, and Fry’s will donate a percentage of your purchases to TIHAN.  Our organization ID number is SH655.

 

Dove of Peace Presents Leading Mexican Guitarist in Free Virtual Valentine’s Day Concert February 14, with Donations to Benefit TIHAN

 

Dove of Peace Lutheran Church’s immensely popular free series of classical music concerts continues this unique season with a classical guitar program on February 14, at 2:00pm. The concert features award-winning Mexican guitarist and University of Arizona doctoral student Misael Barraza-Diaz. There is no charge for admission to this online concert, and viewers are encouraged to make a contribution to TIHAN. Virtual concertgoers can go to the church’s website (doveofpeacetucson.org) starting at 2:00pm on Sunday, February 14, and view the program any time thereafter.

In a recent study of 2,000 Americans, 81% reported music has helped them cope, sleep better and be more productive during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that music and virtual concerts allowed respondents to feel connected to one another during this time. As the majority of participants noted, music is a key coping mechanism in times of stress. There are many health benefits of music: it can ease stress and anxiety, enhance mood and emotional balance, cope with fear and loneliness, help heart health, improve memory, energize the body, manage pain, increase relaxation, and aid in sleep. Dr Chris Macklin, a former professor of musicology at Mercer University and an authority on the history of music in times of plague, writes that “music was not a luxury in times of epidemic uncertainty – it was a necessity.”

Through this music, we are connected, and through your donations to support people in need, we are a stronger and healthier community. The concert program:

Leo Brouwer: Sonata del Pensador, No. 4
Guido Santorsola: Sonata Italiana
Napoleon Coste: Fantasie Dramatique, “Le Depart”
Antonio Jose: Sonata for Guitar

About the Artist

Misael Barraza-Diaz is one of the most outstanding Mexican guitarists of his generation. In 2014, he graduated “Summa Cum Laude” from the Master Guitarra Alicante and with a Master’s in Music degree from the University of Arizona. During his time at UA, he received some of the highest awards: the Music Advisory Board Graduate Distinguished Student Award, Creative Achievement Award, and the Steve Schulman Award, among many others. In addition, he has three times been the recipient of the prestigious David Russell Bach Prize, a competition in honor of maestro Russell dedicated solely to the music of Bach. Misael has won 10 international competitions in North America and Europe, as well as over 30 local and national competitions. Misael has performed as a soloist in Montenegro, Holland, Germany, Finland, Estonia, Italy, Denmark, Spain, London, Canada, Colombia, Mexico and the USA. He is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Arizona.

 

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